Veľký Šariš


Veľký Šariš is a small town near Prešov in eastern Slovakia. The town is known as the site of the largest brewery in Slovakia - Šariš Brewery.

Etymology

The etymology of the name is uncertain. Hungarian historians and linguists prefer the theory that it is derived from the Hungarian word sár or sáros. Slovak historians and linguists assume that the name comes from pre-Hungarian period and is of Slavic or even older origin.

Geography

Veľký Šariš lies at an altitude of above sea level and covers an area of. It is located on the Torysa River, north-north-west from Prešov. There are ruins of Saris castle above the city, which were reconstructed in recent years and serve as place for various cultural events, such as music festivals or film festivals.

History

The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. A Slavic settlement on the castle foot hill is dated to the 9th-10th century, other settlements were unearthed in the area of the town and at the location Dzikov potok. The first written mention of Veľký Šariš dates back to 1217 The town was a royal town then a landlord town .

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, the town had 4,018 inhabitants. 91.69% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 6.07% Roma, 0.60% Ukrainians and 0.55% Czechs. The religious makeup was 84.59% Roman Catholics, 4.55% people with no religious affiliation, 4.31% Greek Catholics and 2.56% Lutherans.

Economy

There is brewery Šariš located in town. Brewery was built in 1964 and is part of group SABMiller, which acquired brewery in 1997. Brewery has around 550 employees.

Twin towns — sister cities

Veľký Šariš is twinned with: